Return policies can affect ecommerce purchases
Many retail merchants carefully think through the entire purchasing experience, from shopping to checkout, but few pay as much attention to return policies. That could be detrimental, particularly to online shoppers, who value simple return processes.
According to a new report by comScore and UPS, 63 percent of online shoppers consult a retailer's return policy before even considering a purchase. A poorly detailed policy could hinder sales, with approximately half saying they would shop more at a merchant with a forgiving return policy and many would also recommend that outlet to others.
"While free shipping has tended to dominate the discussion regarding what provides satisfaction to online shoppers, the study shows there are several other factors critical to a positive online shopping experience," notes Susan Kleinman, comScore director. "Retailers need a holistic understanding of these drivers if they hope to stimulate sales while maintaining healthy margins in this competitive retail environment."
One strategy big-box retailers have turned to is enabling shoppers to return goods in-store, thereby reducing the time between when refunds are issued.
